[1777. June] 8. Sunday; and there has been a great number of persons at the gate to see us, who gave in, for our relief, several shillings.2
9. Rainy weather, so that we keep house all day, except when we go out to draw our provisions.
10. There have about ten or twelve prisoners come from the ships to prison to-day. Having so lately had the small-pox, and being so long physiced afterwards, I require more victuals now, than I ever did before; and our allowance is so very small, and having only sevenpence left of what little money I had when I came to prison, I had a continual gnawing at my stomach; and I find that unless I take some method to obtain something more than my bare allowance, I must certainly suffer, if not die, and that soon. As necessity is the mother of invention, I am resolved to try to get something, and to-day when a carpenter came to put in a window at the end of the prison, I entreated him to bring me some deal, and I would make him a box, which he did.
11. To-day we have made a charity-box, and put it up at the gate. There is written upon it, "Health, Plenty, and Competence to the donors." I have finished the box for the carpenter, and he likes it so well that he wants more made, and he brought me some more wood for that purpose, — some for him, and some for myself.
12. I have been busy all day making boxes, and some of the prisoners are making punch ladles, spoons, chairs, and the like; for which they, now and then, get a shilling.
13. We have chosen a purser amongst ourselves to take charge of the avails of the charity-box. Some days we get four or five shillings, and upon others, not more than four or five pence.
14. To-day we drew only half a pound of greens. They tell us it is by the order of the board; our meat is very short, and our broth only the pot liquor with the fat skimmed off.
